We're going to try to make pizza.
My friend Hannah and my friend , Sammy, both with whom I wrote the curriculm with, have decided to make the first pizza ever in Pokuse village. :).
Sammy's parents own a local bakery, They have the ingredients, flour, water, oil, yeast, garlic. We can get red sauce at the store, We're alitle stumped on the cheese part ,but we'll figure it out. We'll see.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
African Women
One of the many thing I've been impressed with on this trip, it strength of the African women I have met. For the most part, they are strong physically, emotionally and spiritually. They don't hold back. They are gracious ,but strong. They are giving, yet truthful. They can hold more than they probably should on their heads. I found this poem on a blog It's call African Women. I think it describes a look.
African women...:
African women you are strong,when you rise the valleys and hills move with you
when you walk the children of the land follw,when you sing the rains stops and the sun appears
Your melodious voice rivals the sweetest of honey
Your joyful embrace makes your children admire your strong will and draw strength from your ways
You are strong but doubt yourself at times,why do you do so
Have you no idea how many envy your beauty and strength ?
You have taught even me,the value of sustenance and strength in a world of turmoil and turbulance
It is you who are strong and i am merely a follower in your path
Though we live miles away,i will draw my strength from you for knowing you i have gained in me,the strength to follow my heart and value the treasure thats is,being a strong and beautiful black....
african women
http://ebonystone.blogster.com/poem_african_women.html
African women...:
African women you are strong,when you rise the valleys and hills move with you
when you walk the children of the land follw,when you sing the rains stops and the sun appears
Your melodious voice rivals the sweetest of honey
Your joyful embrace makes your children admire your strong will and draw strength from your ways
You are strong but doubt yourself at times,why do you do so
Have you no idea how many envy your beauty and strength ?
You have taught even me,the value of sustenance and strength in a world of turmoil and turbulance
It is you who are strong and i am merely a follower in your path
Though we live miles away,i will draw my strength from you for knowing you i have gained in me,the strength to follow my heart and value the treasure thats is,being a strong and beautiful black....
african women
http://ebonystone.blogster.com/poem_african_women.html
Sunday, July 29, 2007
exploring the world curriculum.
One of the extracurricular activities I've been doing while I"m here, aside from the Microfinance project is helping expand the science program they want to start at Women'sTrust.
We've expanded it to include literacy, social studies, research skills, health, career planning, and community involvement. Ok, now it doesn't look that much like a science curriculum but an 4 year program to support girls as they transitition from junior high to senior high. (most girls drop out)
It\'s a funny thing,I have say, for some reason, I brought my curriculum design book from my curriculum design class with me to Ghana. I used it to guide us , (one NYU student from Rhode Island and two ghanaain teachers) through the process. Of course, like any curriculum it's evolving.
We surveyed and interviewed parents, teachers, head masters, and kids to get bulk. It's been really fun. I can't believe I brought that book.
We've expanded it to include literacy, social studies, research skills, health, career planning, and community involvement. Ok, now it doesn't look that much like a science curriculum but an 4 year program to support girls as they transitition from junior high to senior high. (most girls drop out)
It\'s a funny thing,I have say, for some reason, I brought my curriculum design book from my curriculum design class with me to Ghana. I used it to guide us , (one NYU student from Rhode Island and two ghanaain teachers) through the process. Of course, like any curriculum it's evolving.
We surveyed and interviewed parents, teachers, head masters, and kids to get bulk. It's been really fun. I can't believe I brought that book.
AGED
Last week, I had the opportunity to accompany, a staff memeber from WT on his monthly visit to the give financial assistant to the elderly. In Ghana they have not social secruity system.
The program is called AGED Program. It gives 10 Cedis (about $9. 93) to old folks who have no family to take care of them. They only have 30 slots and as people die they fill them in.
I visited about 6 houses and witness some pretty extreme poverty. They were all living in pretty bad situations, but one just sticks out. It was a man who was blind. The house he was staying in was just concrete and blackened from indoor fires. There was little furniture. He was sitting on a bench. His eyes were hazy.
Eric the staff member, a man with such grace and intergity, told him we had arrived and he took the man's thumb and pressed it in the ink pad. Eric juggled the things in his hands to get the man's thumb print by his name. then he pressed the 10 cedis in his hands. We said our good byes and left.
I know the 10 cedis aren't going to catalpult change into the world, or empower the people to rise up ,but I still think there's a place providing a bit of assistant to people in dire need. WT doesn't require them to subscribe to a religion or view. Nothing is asked of them. They don't have to subscribe to a religion or make job goals. They are our responsibilty. They are just taking care of the poorest of the poor.
The program is called AGED Program. It gives 10 Cedis (about $9. 93) to old folks who have no family to take care of them. They only have 30 slots and as people die they fill them in.
I visited about 6 houses and witness some pretty extreme poverty. They were all living in pretty bad situations, but one just sticks out. It was a man who was blind. The house he was staying in was just concrete and blackened from indoor fires. There was little furniture. He was sitting on a bench. His eyes were hazy.
Eric the staff member, a man with such grace and intergity, told him we had arrived and he took the man's thumb and pressed it in the ink pad. Eric juggled the things in his hands to get the man's thumb print by his name. then he pressed the 10 cedis in his hands. We said our good byes and left.
I know the 10 cedis aren't going to catalpult change into the world, or empower the people to rise up ,but I still think there's a place providing a bit of assistant to people in dire need. WT doesn't require them to subscribe to a religion or view. Nothing is asked of them. They don't have to subscribe to a religion or make job goals. They are our responsibilty. They are just taking care of the poorest of the poor.
Banku
I have started to venture out into the land of Ghananian food. My favorite is banku with Okra soup. Banku is a like a dough in a ball. You dip it in the soup and eat the soup with it. No spoons. It's spicy.
At the table there is a bowl of water and soup to wash your hand before you eat.
I really want to learn how to make it. I want to have it with chicken.
Kathy
At the table there is a bowl of water and soup to wash your hand before you eat.
I really want to learn how to make it. I want to have it with chicken.
Kathy
Interviews.
This last past week, we did a lot of interviews of participants of Women's Trust. It was so interesting to go to their business and talk about their experiences. In so many ways people are people whether in Ghana or in Seattle or in New Jersey (smile). They go to work everyday work and have good days and bad days.
Yet, their story takes a turn. They speak of not being able to afford school fees, ($70 a year)., They want to learn m ore about how to run business, but there is no where to go to learn.
Their health care system is prayer. They pray no one in their family gets in an accident or gets the deadly strain of malaria. I've heard quite of few stories about a snake bit victim dying in 3 days, and a women who collapsed and died because she coulden't get the hosptial. It's really tragic.
I"m still strongly in the belief that this microlending money needs to be accompanied by education and health care.
Yet, their story takes a turn. They speak of not being able to afford school fees, ($70 a year)., They want to learn m ore about how to run business, but there is no where to go to learn.
Their health care system is prayer. They pray no one in their family gets in an accident or gets the deadly strain of malaria. I've heard quite of few stories about a snake bit victim dying in 3 days, and a women who collapsed and died because she coulden't get the hosptial. It's really tragic.
I"m still strongly in the belief that this microlending money needs to be accompanied by education and health care.
JULY 28- important day!
Just want to say first Happy Birthday to my wonderful and loving mom. Happy Birthday! She's a really good mom.
And... Congratulations to Sean and Julie! They tied the knot yesterday. I was going to fly back for the weekend, but the price was a little expensive.
And... Congratulations to Sean and Julie! They tied the knot yesterday. I was going to fly back for the weekend, but the price was a little expensive.
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